We've found a friend for Rocky! :D

[Wolf]

Most things that I have read about parrots say that they are monogamous and form long term relationships with their mates, some of them may mate for life, but it does not say that they all mate for life. But despite this, they are also practical in that if they lose their mate they will find another one. Cockatiel reach sexual maturity at close to one year of age, so a cockatiel of 16 weeks should not be hormonal. Most cockatiels are aviary bred and raised because they are normally so easy to tame. With this in mind it seems that his biting is because he does not yet trust you enough yet. I suppose that some of them may not ever trust a human as they are all different and have their own personalities, but you still have plenty of time so I would not give up on him just yet.

[thesilversakura]

Definitely not giving up on him, he's a little character and we want him to trust us and be happy in his home with us. Apparently, as I speak Rocky and Charlie are shouting at each other through the door! Would taking those two weeks into account for quarantine be a big no no, by the way? I'm just thinking that the sooner we get Rocky and Charlie together the better, I have a feeling it would bring them out of their shells a bit. Would make Charlie harder to tame if he's always with Rocky, but I don't mind. Whatever's best for them.

[Wolf]

If you are comfortable with counting the two weeks that he was alone with the old lady that you mentioned then count then as quarantine time. When Pajarita got Rajah for me it was a moth before we could get together for me to bring him home. Since she had him in quarantine while he was with her, I brought him right on in and placed him next to Keeta as soon as I got him home. Quarantine does not always have to be done at your home or always under your supervision as long as it is done in one way or another, and although he was not technically in quarantine at the old lady's he was alone and he was stressed because he was both alone and in a new place, so that could easily fit the bill for part of the quarantine period, but that is up to you, now.

[thesilversakura]

I think I will. The sooner we can get the boys together, the happier they'll be. I can't wait to get them in the conservatory, they'll have space and company and a perfect solar schedule. Taking into account the two weeks he was with his old owner...that'll be the 21st. I'll get her to take lots of pictures, and hopefully a video

[Wolf]

As long as she knows about how to introduce them then it should go smoothly.

[thesilversakura]

Turns out she introduced them today instead of tomorrow...should've put it in writing! Thank goodness the date was conservative, they'll be fine. Apparently they get on like a house on fire already, their new big cage will be made up soon so they'll be in birdy heaven.

The only problem is that Charlie seems protective of Rocky already. Rocky still bites, but when my mother reaches out to Rocky, Charlie steps in and has a go at her too. Apparently he's very scared of hands, only got out the cage on his own yesterday or the day before, and she thinks something must have happened to him before his previous owner 'rescued' him. What's the best way of dealing with this behaviour, making sure they both get used to hands and are comfortable? I imagine it'll be harder with them together, but it was for their happiness. I hope we can still earn their trust.

[thesilversakura]

There's the little man! Finally managed to walk mum through the basics of sending a photo over MMS

They have their new cage! This is the one we've bought the boys: http://amzn.to/1Re5MtW and they apparently went in with no fuss and enjoy it in there. The room you can see through the glass in the photo is the room we're preparing for the birds to be the 'official' bird room, much more space. Mum's found sticky blinds to cover the clear glass and we're gonna get some form of heating in there, as well as scrub it clean since I have some special poultry disinfectant left over from my chickens. We're gonna put some bird safe indoor trees in there for them to perch on, probably citrus. And don't worry, the wicker chair is going, haha.

Rocky finally stepped up again! Apparently he's been a recluse since Charlie arrived, but he's getting better and getting used to things again. Charlie is still terrified of hands, but happy since he has Rocky to talk to all day long. They're blooming loud! They squabble occasionally over things like food, but I'm assuming that's to be expected when establishing the pecking order? Peach can be let out with them as well apparently, but they're arch enemies. She decided to get inside their cage and she and Charlie had a massive shouting match before she went back to hers. I'm wondering if letting them all out at the same time is stressful for Peach? She's moulting and gets lots of cuddles and fuss from my mum, but I don't want her or the boys constantly on edge. She's a master at biting their toes!

A side note: Being away from them for two months is taking it's toll on me- long distance relationships suck at times. I really do miss playing 'where's the ball' with Peach, we used to throw her little jingle ball and it would fall off the bed and she'd peer over the edge while I leaned over her to try and get it back so she could throw it around again. She was so comfortable with me, and while she was a little grumpy madam at times, I do love her. Miss my birdies

EDIT: She's doing it again, living it up inside their cage and they're sitting on the outside but can't get in! She screams at them and they back off, mum's laughing her head at them apparently - this teeny tiny green bird facing off two giant cockatiels. Thankfully no more fights, but she's obviously her own lady. Poor boys

[Wolf]

To begin with I need to apologise for not replying to your last posting here, somehow I just didn't even see it, I am sorry.
Parrotlets are very aggressive and fearless despite their small size and have cornered and held many birds much larger than them hostage in a corner of their own cages. Keeta has no problem flying to Kiki Senegal's cage or even to Kookooloo CAG or MIMI Amazons cage and trying to bite them through the bars. Although she is very smart this is not the brightest thing that she could be doing with her time or life.
The room that you are preparing for them appears to be an add on type of perhaps sun room or greenhouse. I see no problem with that but did notice the exposed wiring that you may want to have put inside of some plastic conduit. You don't want the metal galvanized conduit due to heavy metal poisoning chances.
Cockateils are very flock oriented and don't really bond that closely to humans but you can still have a good relationship with them, but they will always prefer the company of others of their species over humans.
To hand tame them all you need do is starting outside of the cage is to talk and sing to them and offer the occasional treat while doing this, through the bars and let them come to it. Sprig type millet makes a good treat for this and if they don't come and get it then just leave it for them. I think that it is important to leave it for them rather than taking it back once it is offered to them. You want them to think of you as the bringer of good things. Once they are coming to get the millet from you through the bars and calmly eating it then you go through the same process with you sitting or standing in front of the cages open door and offering the treat at the door not by reaching into the cage. Remember it is very important that they come to you to get the treat. It is also important that they take the offered treat calmly and are relaxed while they eat it. Then you start holding the treat so that they must stretch to reach the treat and if you are consistent and patient they will begin to step up onto your hand to get the treat, then all you need to do is add the verbal cue of" Step up" or " Up".
I hope that this will be useful to you.

[Pajarita]

Well, it seems that everything is going great! And that is a wonderful room for the birds! They will love it in there with all the windows! But I would suggest you take out the ceiling fan and put a fixture for fluorescent tubes - it's not pretty but it's the best you can do for birds because the best full spectrum lights come in tubes.

I would close the tiels cage when they are out to discourage Peach to go into it. Plets can be real aggressive while tiels are the mildest tempered of all the parrots and, although they are bigger, they would not be able to defend themselves from her.